Tool for spreading tubes of water-tube boilers.



P. HEELYQ TOOL FOR SPREADING TUBES OF WATER TUBE BOILERS.

AYPLICATION FILEiJ MAY 10. 1909.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PATRICK HEELY, OF BROOKLYN, NEVJ YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

Application filed May 104 1909. Serial No. 495,051.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l. PATRICK Harm, a citizen of the llnitcd States, residing at Brooklyn. in the county of Kings and State of Xew York, have invented a new and usc ful Tool for Spreading the Tubes of Water- Tube Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools for spreading the tubes of water tube boilers. and is designed specially as an improvement on the tool covered by Letters Patent of the lfnited States No. 808,920, issued January 1906, to John Keers and myself jointly.

The main object of the invention is to provide a tool of this character by means of which the tubes of water tube boilers may be spread with precision to an extent necry in any particular case for the insertion or removal of a fire brick between the tubes and to spread the tube without injury while the fire bricks are being inserted or removed.

As is well known, the tubes of water-tube boilers pass through battle-plates which are protected from the direct action of the in tense heat of the furnace by fire bricks 01? very refractory material, these fire bricks being so shaped as to fill the spaces between the water tubes and being generally identical in contour and constructed to till a substantially diamond-shaped space between four adjacent water tubes and lying in close. contact with adjacent fire bricks filling other similar spaces. In water tube boilers there is a large number of such fire bricks, and it is a ditlicult matter to locate them in position or remove them after they are once in place. and, so far as I am aware, prior to the above mentioned patent no special tool has been devised for this purpose, and there is no means in use for accomplishing this result. in order to insert or remove a fire brick, it is necessary first to expand the water tubes at a point somewhat in advance of the position occupied or to be occupied by the the brick and afterward to manipulate the fire brick so as to enter it between the tubes at the point where they are spread and then move it into contact with the baflie plate for forcing italong between the water tubes or, in case it is partly broken, to dislodge it or break it outor move it along toward the point where the tubes are spread and then withdraw it at the point where the tubes are so spread.

The present invention relates to a tool for spreading the water tubes at a suitable point in advance of the baffle plate, and particularly to tool for both spreading the tubes and holding them in their spread positions while a fire brick is being inserted or removed. 7

In the accompanying drawings wherein similar numerals are used to indicate corresponding parts in each of the several views: Figure l is an elevation, partly in section, of the tube spreading tool as ap plied to a plurality of tubes to be spread; Fig. 2 is an edge view of the tool; Fig. 3, is a face elevation of a fire brick, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the head showing both the stationary and movable jaws.

The toolcomprises two side bars and 6 having on one end an enlarged head 7 which is provided with outwardly extending angular projections S and 9, the operating edges of which are provided with flanges or face plates 10 and 11. These plates serve three distinct purposes, first they secure the outer ends of the tool together making a very strong head, secondly they permit of a broad flat surface being presented to the tubes when in operation, and thirdly by this arrangement, they act as a. means for keeping the two bars separated and at the same time secured together. These bars 5 and 6 when so secured by the connecting flanges 10 and 11 form the stationary member of the tool, and between them is inserted a bar 12, said bar 12 is at its upper end provided with an enlarged head portion 13, having outwardly extending project-ions 18 and 19 that conform in every respect to the projections S and 9 of the bars 5 and 6 forming the stationary member.

The movable member is held in an operative position by a spacing stud l i, which is suitably housed in the, side bars, While the movable member, is provided with a slot 15, through which said stud 14 may extend thus holding the three members of the tool together in proper relation to each other.

At the upper end of the tool the head 18 is held in proper operative position by reason of the plates 10 and 11 forming bearings 16 and 17 for the bar 12. (See Fig. 4:.) To the outwardly extending angular projections 18 and 19 of the movable member are suitably secured operating face plates or flanges 22 and 23, in width and thickness conforming to plates 10 and 11 on the stationary member. Thus it will. be seen that these plates 10, ll, 22 and form a strong compact head, and permit of great strain being exerted upon the tubes without danger of damaging the same.

lVith the construction of the head as described, the cooperating working faces of two members are self contained and sustained with respect to each other, and all danger of getting out of order is obviated when in either their expanded or contracted position.

The two spreading faces 10 and 23 are arranged at an angle of 17 to a line drawn at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the tool, this angle being such that by actual experience, it has been found, prevents the possibility of dislocating the tubes when spread, thus the tubes 2%. and are separated by a direct push from the center of the head in a line that is practically perpendicular with respect to the vertical, while the tube spreading face plates 11 and 22 are arranged at an angle of about 45 to the longitudinal axis of the tool. Here also it will be seen that the respective angles of the spreading faces are such as to only have a tendency to separate each of the tubes and 27 in a horizontal line with respect to each other. In other words each ofthe operating faces cooperates in spreading the four pipes shown simultaneously a uniform distance in practically vertical and horizontal lines.

Between the bars 5 and 6 is rigidly cured a threaded nut 28, in which works the screw 29; said screw having a swiveled connection with the movable member 12. The screw has a square head 30, provided with openings which extend through all four sides; a threaded shank of suitable length is screwed into and adapted to be adjusted in the nut 28, and a smooth portion 31, having a groove therein, rests in a bearing 32, and pins 33 pass through the movable member 12 of the carrier and serve to prevent longitudinal movement of the screw 29 with respect to the part 12, while permitting the manipw lation of the screw in the bore at the lower end of the movable member 12.

It will be readily seen that when the screw 29 is turned in one or the other direction, all the tube spreading members will immediately respond, and each and every one of said members will hold its respective tube in the position to which it is adjusted, as before described, until the fire brick 3 f shown in Fig. 3 is inserted or removed, as the case requires. hen the tire brick is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the tubes 2 1: and 25 rest in the recesses 35 and 36, while the tubes 26 and 27 lit the recesses 37 and 38, each and every brick being so held in position, and their straight edges fitting snugly the lines of the previously placed bricks.

lVith the improvement herein tescribed, the operative eifectiveness of the tool is materially increased, as it is capable of operating on any tube wheresoever located, without the least possible danger of being damaged in any way whatsoever.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A tool for spreading the tubes of water tube boilers, composed of two members one movable within the other, each member terminating at its upper end in an enlarged head, said head provided with sets of angular spreading faces, plates provided for each of the working faces, one set of said plates forming bearings or guides, for the movable member and operating upon one set of tubes while the movable member operates on a companion set of tubes, with means for holding the two sets of plates toward or away from each other.

In testimony whereof I hereunto sign my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK HEELY.

lVitnesses FREDERICK J. BLOCK, J. B. MCGIRR. 

